Friday, September 29, 2006

Great show by the Blackshirts last weekend, and steady improvement (we hope it continues) for the offense. A shutout is always a big deal, but especially worthy when up against a team that has an explosive offense like Troy. The Huskers start the Big XII play with a home opener against Kansas tomorrow. Another night game on Fox Sports Network, so here's our chance to get out to our favorite watch sites and cheer on the team. All watch sites should be able to show this one (its not PPV this week). In addition because the game goes over the dinner hour, Jack's Brewing Co. in Fremont will have another Prime Rib for the beef lovers in the crowd. They ordered a bigger Hunk-O-Beef this week (had a few disappointed fans last week) but you should still order in advance to make sure you get one.

Hope to see you there!

Go Big Red (White and Blue),

Carl========

BIG RED REVIEW: HUSKERS TOPPLE TROY, 56-0...

Nunn posted his first career 100-yard receiving day - all in the first half - in the Huskers' 56-0 win.

Big Red Review is your source for a complete postgame recap of Nebraska's 56-0 shutout of Troy on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Huskers.com provides a complete game story, statistics, notes, quotes and photos from the game.

Lincoln - The Nebraska offense generated nearly 600 yards total offense, including more than 400 in the first half alone, and the Blackshirts pitched their first shutout of the season as the Cornhuskers rolled to a 56-0 victory over Troy on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium.The No. 23 Huskers improved to 3-1 on the year with the victory in front of 84,799 fans in the NCAA-record 278th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium. Troy slipped to 1-3 on the season.

Sophomore I-back Marlon Lucky erupted for the best game of his young career with 10 carries for career highs of 156 yards and three touchdowns through Nebraska's opening drive of the second half. Lucky's big night included successive career-long runs of 34, 45 and 51 yards that all went for touchdowns, capped by his 51-yard burst up the middle on his final carry to give the Huskers a 35-0 lead.

While Lucky carried the load for Nebraska's balanced West Coast offensive attack, senior quarterback Zac Taylor propelled the Huskers through the air, completing 14-of-17 passes for 268 yards and one touchdown. Taylor played just over a half, giving way to backup Joe Ganz after leading the Huskers on their fifth touchdown on the opening drive of the second half.========

Football Home Page========HUSKERS PREPARE FOR BIG 12 OPENER...Junior safety Tierre Green has racked up 21 tackles through four games this season.

Lincoln – The Nebraska football team held a two-hour half-pad practice in Memorial Stadium Wednesday to put the finishing touches on preparation for Saturday’s Big 12 opener against Kansas at 6 p.m.

Head coach Bill Callahan commented on the Jayhawk’s sophomore cornerback Aqib Talib, an early favorite for Big-12 accolades who has performed well this season.

“He’s got all the corner skills you look for,” Callahan said. “He’s fast, he’s quick, and his change of direction is great. He plays the ball well in flight, he’s a good hitter, and in terms of run-support defense he plays the ball very well. Those are the things that stick out when I watch him play.”

The Husker’s defense has been working equally hard, including junior safety Tierre Green, who has racked up 21 tackles through four games this season, including 10 solo, to lead the team.

“He’s been solid, he really has,” Callahan said. “He’ll be tested more this week as you see the spread offenses emerge, and (our defense) will get tested quite a bit. For himself, being at that strong safety position, he has helped stop the run really well.

“He’s steadily improved at defending the pass, and if you think about the transition this guy has made it’s been extraordinary. He went from running back to corner, to the nickel to safety, and he’s really done a great job. They’re all going to be tested, and we’re going to be tested as a unit more as we get into conference play because of the nature of the spread offense.”

“He’s been working with (head strength coach) Dave (Kennedy),” Callahan said. “We’re just trying to get his energy back right now, get his strength back, and the other numbers he needs to get back relative to his condition. As soon as he’s ready, I’m sure the doctor will release him.”

The Huskers will hold a team walk-through in Memorial Stadium Friday afternoon before opening Big 12 play against Kansas Saturday at 4:00 p.m. PDT.========

IOWA STATE GAME TO BE TELEVISED ON ABC (Regional)...

The Big 12 Conference and ABC Sports announced on Monday that Nebraska’s Oct. 7 game at Iowa State will be televised on a regional basis with kickoff set for 5 p.m. (Pacific) at ISU’s Jack Trice Stadium.

The game will mark the fourth consecutive night contest for the Huskers, following a road game at USC (ABC) and evening home games against Troy and Kansas (FSN). Nebraska has had one other stretch in school history with four straight night games, opening the 2002 season with four evening contests.

The ABC appearance also marks the second straight season and the fourth time in the past seven years that the Nebraska-Iowa State game will be televised by the network. The ABC game guarantees Nebraska at least three appearances on the network this season, as Nebraska’s Sept. 16 game at USC was televised nationally and the Nov. 24 game against Colorado will also be shown by ABC to a national audience.

Nebraska opens Big 12 Conference play this week with a 4 p.m. PDT game against Kansas that will be carried nationally on FSN. Game times for the remainder of Nebraska’s games will be announced six to 12 days in advance.

Other Big 12 games selected for television on Oct. 7 include Oklahoma-Texas (12:30 p.m., ABC), Texas A&M at Kansas (9 a.m., FSN) and Missouri at Texas Tech (4 p.m., TBS). (All times Pacific)========

The third weekend of the National Football League season continued to show strong performances from several former Huskers, including key plays from a former Blackshirt in the 2004 class and a specialist from last year’s squad.

On Monday Night Football, the Saints dominated the Atlanta Falcons, 23-3, in an emotional home opener in the newly renovated Superdome one year following Hurricane Katrina. Former Blackshirt Josh Bullocks racked up seven tackles, including five unassisted, along with a key field goal block.

With the Saints leading 17-3 with just under two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Bullocks blocked a 25-yard field goal attempt while the defense recovered the ball on the New Orleans 13-yard line to secure the momentum and a two-touchdown lead.

Scott Shanle also added four solo tackles and one sack for the Saints defense, while Demorrio Williams snagged seven solo stops and one assisted tackle in the Falcons’ losing effort.

Former NU specialist Sam Koch contributed to a 15-14 Baltimore Ravens victory over the Cleveland Browns with six punts for an average of 39.2 yards, including three inside the 20-yard line. Koch also had a long punt of 53 yards after a crucial three-and-out by the offense from their own 26-yard line, putting the ball on the Cleveland 21-yard line with the Browns ahead 7-3 in the second quarter.

Buffalo’s Chris Kelsey posted two tackles, including one unassisted, in the Bills’ 28-20 loss to the New York Jets.

Chicago’s Mike Brown racked up three unassisted and one assisted tackle in the Bears’ 19-16 victory over Minnesota, helping hold the Vikings to just 11 first downs despite Minnesota’s advantage in time of possession.

Cincinnati racked up 14 fourth-quarter points to edge the Steelers, 28-20. Former Husker specialist Kyle Larson had five punts for an average of 53.4 yards, including a long of 67 yards, and two inside the 20-yard line.

Green Bay’s Ahman Green led the Packers in rushing with 22 carries for 63 yards in his team’s 31-24 divisional win over Detroit. The Lions’ Daniel Bullocks had six tackles, including four unassisted, in Detroit’s losing effort. Cory Schlesinger also had two catches for seven yards from his fullback position, while Dominic Raiola’s blocking at center helped lead to 342 yards passing for Jon Kitna.

Houston’s Kris Brown had one extra point, while Zach Wiegert led an offensive line that helped David Carr to a 208-yard passing day in the Texans’ 31-15 loss to the Washington Redskins.

Philadelphia’s Correll Buckhalter had five carries for 16 yards, as well as two catches for 25 yards, in the Eagles’ 28-24 win over San Francisco.

Josh Brown racked up six extra points in Seattle’s offensive explosion over the New York Giants, while Grant Wistrom racked up two unassisted tackles during the Seahawks’ 42-30 win.

Carolina’s Mike Minter and Mike Rucker combined for five tackles, including one each unassisted, in the Panthers’ 26-24 victory against Tampa Bay, which included holding the Buccaneers to just 13 first downs and 209 net yards. Tampa Bay’s Barrett Ruud snagged eight solo tackles in the Buccaneers’ losing effort.

Finally, Tennessee’s Kyle Vanden Bosch snagged four tackles, including three unassisted, as well as one sack in the Titans’ 13-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins.

========HUSKER VOLLEYBALL REMAINS NO. 1 IN CSTV/AVCA COACHES POLL...

Rachel Schwartz and the Huskers take on Baylor on Saturday.

Lincoln – Nebraska kept a firm grasp of the No. 1 spot for the fifth consecutive week, as the Huskers were ranked at the top of the CSTV/AVCA Coaches poll released Monday.

The Huskers, one of five unbeaten teams in the country with a 12-0 record, received 46 of the 60 first-place votes and totaled 1,480 points, 27 points ahead of Penn State. The Nittany Lions (13-0) received 13 first-place votes, while No. 4 Washington received the remaining first-place vote. All five unbeaten teams are ranked this week, including UCLA (15-0) at No. 3 Southern California (13-0) at No. 5 and New Mexico (16-0) at No. 22.

Three Big 12 teams are ranked this week, including Texas at No. 8 and Missouri, which swept the Longhorns over the weekend, checking in at No. 19.

The Huskers are off until Saturday afternoon, when they take on Baylor. First serve between the Huskers and Bears is set for 11 a.m. (Pacific) and the match will be carried on the Internet at Huskers.com.

========

HUSKER SOCCER TEAM FALLS TO ISU IN OT...

Carly Peetz scored the first goal of her career in NU's 3-2 loss to Iowa State.

Ames, Iowa – The Nebraska soccer team suffered its first overtime loss of the year with a 3-2 setback in double overtime at Iowa State in Ames on Sunday.

Nebraska slipped to 6-2-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12, while the Cyclones improved to 5-6 overall and 1-1 in the league.

The Huskers enjoyed a 2-1 lead in the final minute of regulation before a Cyclone penalty kick forced NU's fourth overtime game of the season, tying the 2003 squad for the most overtime games in a season. The loss marked the first loss by the Huskers in overtime since losing to Texas, 1-0, last season. Nebraska is 1-1-2 in extra minutes this season and 12-6-11 all-time.

The overtime loss spoiled another outstanding performance from senior Brittany Timko, who assisted on the Huskers' second goal to set a school record by scoring at least one point in her 13th straight game.

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Thursday, September 21, 2006

I'm sure there are a number of fans that wondered what happened last Saturday, and why the Huskers didn't bring their West Coast offense to the West Coast. Don't ask me, I'm puzzled too...but you can check the post-game comments at the links below for some explanations. But it was apparent to those of us in the stands that we were outmatched for most of the game. We had a few glimmers of hope in the first and third quarters, but mistakes by the Huskers and error free football by USC were part of the reason for the 28-10 loss. Of course we get another shot at them next year when they come to our house!

This Saturday's game against Troy should result in a different outcome, but remember this is also a team that really shook up the Seminoles when they almost beat them a couple of weeks ago, and has given us fits in past years too. Definitely not an offense to take lightly. Lets hope the secondary tightens up and keeps this team of Trojans from outscoring the Huskers.

Lots to read below so I'll cut this short. Suffice it to say that those who went to the game still had a great time and we brought back some good photos and great memories of the other festivities leading up to the game.Go Big Red (White and Blue),Carl

Watch Sites for the Troy Game: According to Steve Curry, our watch site coordinator for Final-Final, it doesn't look like the owner of this watch site in San Francisco will be paying for the $400 PPV feed for the game. I also doubt that Knuckles in Monterey will pay for it either. But I talked with Kurt at Jack's Brewing Company in Fremont and they will definitely be showing the game at their brewpub. And since the game is on during Dinner, they will also add Prime Rib to the menu again just for us beef-eatin' Husker fans. In the past Legends in Concord has picked up the tab for the PPV so I will assume they will have the game on too. So if you don't want to pay the $30 for your own PPV subscription at home, come on out to Jack's or Legends to watch the game with other Husker fans. We'll be passing the hat again to help the owners of these great watchsites defray their expense for showing the game. Kickoff is at 4:10 Pacific time, so get there early to grab a good seat. See you there!!!

Los Angeles - The No. 19 Nebraska football team battled No. 4 USC to the end, but the Huskers came up short in a 28-10 loss to the Trojans at the Los Angeles Coliseum Saturday.

Playing in front of a sellout crowd that included between 25,000 and 30,000 Big Red fans and an ABC national primetime television audience, the Huskers kept the Trojans within striking distance. Nebraska trailed just 21-10 after senior quarterback Zac Taylor went untouched into the end zone on a naked bootleg on fourth-and-goal inside the USC 1.

But the Trojans, who have played in the last three national championship games with titles in 2003 and 2004 and opened this season with a 50-14 victory at Arkansas, closed the door on Nebraska's upset hopes with a 14-play, 81-yard drive that consumed more than six minutes of the clock on the ensuing drive to produce the final result.

Nebraska slipped to 2-1 on the season with the setback, while the Trojans improved to 2-0.Nebraska Head Coach Bill Callahan said he was proud of the Huskers' effort and determination against the Trojans, but added that Nebraska was unable to come up with any big plays offensively or defensively against USC.

"I want to congratulate USC on an outstanding game. We have great respect for them. You saw an effort by Nebraska that was outstanding in so many respects," Callahan said. "I thought our special teams were excellent. At times, we ran the ball physically. Our defense played well at times, but we didn’t come up with the big plays when we needed to.

"Our guys competed hard against one of the best teams in the country, but when you compete against teams like this, the margin for error is minute. We had critical penalties and mistakes."

USC COACH PETE CARROLL'S POST GAME COMMENTS

...Opening Statement"We’re really proud of this win tonight, to win like that. The Coliseum was just beautiful tonight, just a real special place tonight. It was a good game to win."

(On the play of the defense)"Just a great effort on their part. The D was great all night. We had a really good style. The defense really sent a message tonight. Everyone was out there flying and contributing. It is a young unit, but it’s really building. If we take care of the ball on offense, we have a chance to be really good."

(On the play of the defensive front seven)"The whole group was swarming out there. The front seven really got after it. They played with great emotion and a ton of intensity. It’s just a great group up front."

(On the play of the safeties)"Taylor (Mays) survived out there. He did a heck of a job for us out there. (Kevin) Ellison really answered the call for us. Nothing was going to stop him from playing tonight and he really helped Taylor out there with the calls."

(On the play of WR Dwayne Jarrett and QB John David Booty)"Jarrett was just great tonight. You could see him really coming this week in practice. John David recognized the coming as well. They were just on fire. Both of them played really well. I’m proud of them."

(On the loss of FB Ryan Powdrell)"It is just a sad, sad injury. It is a big loss to this team. We are really going to miss him out there. We send our love out to him."=======

HUSKER MIGRATION AND HUSKERPEDIA EVENTS MADE UP FOR THE LOSS...As my wife Karen said, the price of the trip and the pain of the loss were more than made up by the opportunity to enjoy some pre-game festivities, visit with a number of former players, coaches, and cheer on the team with a bunch of great Husker fans. Our hats are off to David (Big Red) Max and his family who put the whole thing together...fantastic events...THANKS DAVID! See the link to his Thank You message and a couple of Karen's photos (we got the skipper of John Wayne's boat to put our autographed flag on the bow mast of the Wild Goose)...

Thank you to all the people who participated in the HuskerPedia USC events.

Stewart Bradley (34), a key force behind the Blackshirts in 2006, had 10 tackles against USC.

In a two-hour, full-pads workout inside Memorial Stadium Wednesday evening, the Nebraska football team continued preparations for Saturday night’s game against Troy. As the game draws closer, the Huskers continue to focus on the Trojans’ spread offense, which passed for 271 yards in a 24-17 loss at Florida State on Sept. 9

“They’re very similar to Texas Tech,” head coach Bill Callahan said. “They have big line splits, they’re very vertical in their pass routes, and they have a lot of three and four-wide receiver sets. Overall, their general philosophy is to put skill people in space, get the ball to them and let them make plays. We’re very familiar with that. We have to be really alert this week, not only with coming out and making plays on those very simple plays that are executed, but also the trickery off those base plays.”

With the Trojans sending more wide receivers onto the field, Nebraska defensively may look to feature more nickel and dime defenses.

“You certainly can run more nickel and dime,” Callahan said. “It’s predicated on the down and distance and how you want to match up and what coverages you want to feature.”

Among the key players in the Huskers’ defense is senior linebacker Stewart Bradley, who has recovered from a knee injury that forced him to miss the last seven games in 2005, to be tied with Corey McKeon for the team lead with 17 tackles. Bradley led the Huskers with a season-high 10 tackles against USC last Saturday.

“I think he’s done a lot better in some respects this year,” Callahan said. “He’s shown the ability to play the coverages that we’ve asked him to. He’s coming off the edge well. He’s a lot stronger.”

On offense, Nebraska will continue to rely on the strong of junior center Brett Byford, who will make his third straight start in the place of Kurt Mann.

“Brett’s done a really nice job for us,” Callahan said. “He’s stepped up at the center position since Kurt’s gone down. He’s handled everything including the communication at the line. He’s competed at a high level. He’s been really consistent for us. We’ve been fortunate that he’s done well. It’s a tribute to Coach (Dennis) Wagner and the job he’s done.”

Nebraska will continue preparations for the Troy game with an afternoon practice tomorrow at Memorial Stadium.=======

KANSAS GAME TO BE TELEVISED ON FOX SPORTS NETWORK...

The University of Nebraska Athletic Department announced that the kickoff for the football game against Kansas on September 30 is scheduled for 4 p.m. (Pacific). The game has been selected by FSN for a national telecast by the network.

The game will mark Nebraska’s second consecutive night game, following this week’s 4:10 p.m. kickoff (PDT) against Troy at Memorial Stadium on FSN Pay-Per-View. In addition, it will mark Nebraska’s third national telecast in its first five games of the season, joining the Louisiana Tech game (FSN) and last weekend’s game at USC (ABC). A fourth game is scheduled for a national telecast as the Nov. 24 game against Colorado can be seen nationwide on ABC.Other Big 12 games selected for telecast on Sept. 30 included Colorado at Missouri (FSN Regional, 9:30 a.m.) and Texas Tech at Texas A&M (ABC Regional, 12:30 p.m.) Pacific.

Our watch sites have the Fox Sports Package so expect to be able to see the game at your favorite watch party site.

Brittany Timko added a pair of goals in Nebraska's 4-0 shut out over TCU.

Lincoln – The Nebraska soccer team (5-1-2) capitalized on a 23-8 shot ratio and 9-3 shot on goal advantage for a 4-0 shutout of TCU (4-4-0) in front of more than 400 fans at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Sunday.

The win follows NU’s first loss of the season to Central Michigan on Friday. However, in both games the Huskers dominated the pitch, outshooting their opponents by a margin of 48-14 and allowing just three corner kicks to Nebraska’s 25.

“I thought we played well in both games this weekend,” Head Coach John Walker said. “We’re competing at a higher level each time we play. If you look at the number of shots and corners we took over the last two games, those are the numbers you want to see. Sometimes you play well and it just doesn't go your way, but that's how the game goes. The important thing is that we're getting better every game.”

NU’s 16 corner kicks against Central Michigan set a new Nebraska Soccer Field record, while the Huskers’ aggressive play against TCU also set a new facility record for fouls with 21.

The Huskers were led in the win over TCU by senior Brittany Timko, who scored her fifth and sixth goals of the season. With six goals, Timko has now netted just over half as many balls as her 2005 season total of 11, just eight games into a 19-game regular season.

Senior Brittany Timko was selected to the SoccerTimes.com Honor Roll this week.

The Nebraska soccer team hasn’t even begun its conference season and already senior forward Brittany Timko is racking up awards. After being named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week on Tuesday, Timko was also placed on the SoccerTimes.com Honor Roll, which honors the week’s most impressive collegiate players.

Timko was one of four players named to the honor roll this week, including North Carolina midfielder Jessica O’Rourke, Indiana midfielder Carrie DeFreece and West Virginia forward Deana Everrett.

Timko’s award-filled week follows an outstanding string of games at the Nebraska adidas Invitational last weekend where she earned four goals and one assist, including three goals against North Texas on Sept. 8, to lead the Huskers to a 3-2 win. The feat was the fourth hat trick of Timko’s career, leaving her just one short of tying the Husker record of five set by Kim Engesser.

The Coquitlam, British Columbia, native also scored a goal against Drake on Sept. 10, and went on to record the game-winning assist in Nebraska’s 1-0 double overtime win over Western Carolina on Sept. 12 to keep the Huskers unbeaten on the season.

Timko has now notched either a goal or an assist in nine straight matches dating back to 2005 and is just three contests short of tying the school record for points in consecutive games. The 5-7 forward will look to continue that streak this weekend as the Huskers take on undefeated Central Michigan on Friday at 5 p.m., followed by TCU on Sunday for in a 1 p.m. kickoff.

=======HOST COMMUNICATIONS PURCHASES PINNACLE SPORTS PRODUCTIONS...Host Communications, Inc. announced today that it has acquired Pinnacle Sports Productions, LLC, a sports marketing firm based in Gretna, NE that holds radio and multi-media rights to the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Pinnacle Sports sells produces and distributes radio broadcasts for Nebraska sports teams. It also produces a daily statewide radio program on Huskers' sports. Founded by Paul Aaron and Dale Jansen, Pinnacle is involved in marketing Nebraska's coaches' radio and television shows, game programs, and select television game broadcasts and events.

"We are very excited to add a top collegiate program like the University of Nebraska to the outstanding list of major universities we represent," said Tom Stultz, president and chief executive officer of Lexington, Ky.-based Host Communications, Inc. and its parent company, Triple Crown Media, Inc.

"Nebraska is extremely dominant in its state and region and is recognized as one of the top athletics programs in the nation," Stultz explained. "The passion and appetite for Huskers' sports programming is alive and well 365 days a year."

HOST also holds marketing rights at the University of Arizona, Florida State University, the University of Kentucky, the University of Michigan, Oklahoma State University, the University of Tennessee, the University of Texas and the Southeastern Conference. In addition, Host manages NCAA Football and sells, produces and distributes all championship souvenir programs for the NCAA.

"Host Communications has a long history in college sports," said Steve Pederson, athletic director at the University of Nebraska. "They are aligned with other top programs and that is significant to us. We are anxious to begin working with Host to continue to bring great radio broadcasts to our Nebraska fans."

In explaining the decision to sell the company, Paul Aaron, president and management member of Pinnacle Sports Productions, LLC said, "We feel selling to HOST makes perfect sense for the University and all Pinnacle employees as well as to the Huskers' incredible fans. HOST has the expertise and resources to take Pinnacle Sports to even higher levels and we are excited they have requested that we work with them as part of the growth and expansion process. The transaction also makes a lot of sense for us from an estate planning standpoint."

Stultz said Aaron and Jansen will remain active in the Nebraska property as shareholders in HOST's parent company, Triple Crown Media, Inc. Aaron will also work with HOST in a consulting role. While financial terms were not disclosed, Stultz said the transaction included cash and TCMI restricted stock.

Stultz said current Pinnacle General Manager Kevin Moore will continue in that role with HOST. "We feel Kevin will be a great addition to our management team. Not only does he have intimate knowledge of the Nebraska property but he also has extensive experience and connections throughout the collegiate arena from his previous work as head of sports syndication for Clear Channel Radio." Moore has been with Pinnacle since December 2004. Prior to joining Pinnacle, Moore served as vice president and general manager for Clear Channel Sports and president of Paxson Sports. He also served as vice president of sales for the American Network Group. Stultz said HOST plans to retain all existing Pinnacle employees and talent.

About the University of Nebraska CornhuskersNebraska boasts a 23-sport athletic program that competes in the Big 12 Conference. Nebraska athletic programs have won 22 national team championships, including five on the football field. Nebraska also has a history of producing some of the nation’s top collegiate student-athletes, leading the nation with 233 Academic All-Americans.

About Host Communicatons, Inc.Host Communications Inc. has marketing agreements with seven universities as well as the Southeastern Conference and NCAA Football. The Lexington, Ky.-based company also manages five associations, more than 30 Web sites and has a printing and publishing division that produces more than 700 publications annually including all of the NCAA championship game-day programs. Additional information may be found online at http://www.hostcommunications.com/?DB_OEM_ID=100.

About Triple Crown Media, Inc.HOST is a subsidiary of Triple Crown Media, Inc. TCMI owns and operates six daily newspapers with a total daily circulation of approximately 120,000 and owns and operates GrayLink, a wireless communications company based in Tallahassee. TCMI is a public company traded on NASDAQ and based in Lexington, Ky. Additional information may be found online at http://www.triplecrownmedia.com/?DB_OEM_ID=100.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Well, here we go...the Husker first real test of the season at USC. We have a number of Bay Area Huskers heading south for the festivities, so wish us luck as we try to out yell the USC fans! Although we are 19 1/2 point underdogs, you'll hear us shouting all the way up the coast if the Huskers pull off a victory. If you aren't going to the game, you should join other Husker fans at our watch sites and cheer on the Huskers. Wear Red, Cheer Loud and Be Proud!Go Big Red (White and Blue),

Carl

ALERT FOR THOSE DRIVING SOUTH FOR THE USC GAME!!!!!CHP has closed lanes on I-5 at the Grapevine due to brush fires that the California Dept. of Forestry has not fully controlled at this time. The recommended detour/route to L.A. is to take Hwy 101.

Although the game will be televised on national TV, we highly encourage you to join other Husker fans and watch the game at one of our four Bay Area watch sites. It will not only be more fun watching with other fans, you'll get to see the game on the big screen in a great sports atmosphere. And besides, when we win, you'll be able to high five all the other excited fans!

As an added incentive, Jack's Brewing Company in Fremont will have their famous Prime Rib on the menu for Husker beef lovers watching the game...something they typically only have on Thursdays. I would suggest that if you want a tasty slab of prime rib, you should order it early to make sure they don't run out.

BIG RED REVIEW: HUSKERS STORM PAST COLONELS...

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsMarlon Lucky produced the first 100-yard rushing game of his Nebraska career in the Huskers' win over Nicholls State.

Big Red Review is your source for a complete postgame recap of Nebraska's 56-7 win over Nicholls State on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. Huskers.com provides a complete game story, statistics, notes, quotes and photos from the game.

Lincoln - With a steady rain falling from the Lincoln skies above Memorial Stadium, the No. 21 Nebraska football team created a downpour of points on its way to a 56-7 win over Nicholls State in front of 84,076 fans on Saturday afternoon.

The Huskers, 2-0, received impressive balance for the second straight game, both rushing and passing for more than 200 yards on their way to scoring 49 or more points for the second consecutive week. After scoring 49 points in a season-opening win over Louisiana Tech, the Huskers have amassed 105 points in its first two games, the highest combined total to open a season since NU's 1995 national championship team scored 114 points in the first two games.

Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan said he was pleased with the Huskers' preparation and execution throughout the game.

"That was a great game for our team today. I'm really proud of our players and coaches and the way they focused and prepared throughout the week. We came off to a very fast start. I was extremely pleased with the way we began the game. It's an objective of ours to go out and play well in that first quarter, and I thought we certainly accomplished that objective. I'm proud of our offense. I thought we played efficiently today."

While the Husker offense rolled, Nebraska's defense silenced Nicholls State through the air, holding the Colonels to no passing yards, the first time that has been achieved by the Blackshirts since grounding Oklahoma State in 1992.

With the 2006 Nebraska Football Hall of Fame class looking on, the newest group of Huskers rekindled memories of Big Red dominance of years past for the NCAA record 277th consecutive sellout crowd at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska scored on six of its first seven possessions.

Senior quarterback Zac Taylor produced one of the most efficient and productive passing efforts by a Nebraska quarterback in school history, connecting on 19-of-23 passes, including 12 straight completions in the first half, for 202 yards and four touchdowns in three quarters of football before giving way to No. 2 quarterback Joe Ganz in the fourth quarter.

Taylor's 213.77 NCAA pass efficiency rating ranked as the eighth best day by a Husker in the Nebraska record books.

"I thought Zac was very efficient," Callahan said. "We just wanted to grind it out. This type of game was played in some conditions that we might possibly play in in the later part of the year, so that was a good weather game for us. With a bad weather day, handling the ball, throwing it, protecting, running the ball and having the great ball security we had, I came away really pleased from that."==========

Lincoln - Nebraska will face its first major test of the 2006 season this Saturday evening, when the Huskers take on No. 4/2 (AP/Coaches) USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Kickoff between No. 19 Nebraska and the Trojans is set for 7:13 p.m. (CDT). The game will be televised nationally on ABC, as part of the network’s Saturday Night college football package.

The 2-0 Huskers head into the contest with momentum after impressive performances in convincing wins over Louisiana Tech and Nicholls State to open the season. Nebraska has featured an explosive and balanced offensive attack in the wins, topping 250 yards on the ground in both games, while averaging better than 280 yards per game through the air, and producing 49 or more points in both games.

USC will enter Saturday night’s game with a 1-0 record, after a 50-14 dismantling of Arkansas on Sept. 2 in Fayetteville. The Trojans, who were idle last weekend, boast a remarkable 49-4 record since the start of the 2002 campaign, the best extended run in college football since Nebraska was 49-2 in winning three national championship from 1994 to 1997. USC will also bring a 27-game home winning streak and a 33-game regular-season winning streak into Saturday’s game.

Saturday night’s matchup will be just the third all-time meeting between two of college football’s top programs, and the first since a 21-21 tie at the Coliseum in 1970. USC won at Nebraska in 1969. The game also marks the first time Nebraska has been involved in a game between two ranked teams since a 2003 matchup at Texas.==========

CALLAHAN, HUSKERS DISCUSS SHOWDOWN WITH USC...

Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan and the Huskers welcomed members of the media to Memorial Stadium on Tuesday for the Huskers' weekly press conference. Huskers.com has all the quotes from Callahan, NU players and USC head coach Pete Carroll. Audio clips from the press conference can be found by clicking here.

Opening Statement“Well we’re just grinding away on USC. This is a good football team. This is a good opportunity for our club and our program to get some national visibility. To have an opportunity to play on a national stage, and I can tell you our players are excited. We certainly respect USC in every regard. A fine staff, excellent players and just a great venue to play a top caliber game.”

On his initial reaction to having USC scheduled“At that first year of coaching, I was mainly just looking at what was up the next year in 2005. I wasn’t looking into 2006, but it’s a great opportunity. It’s a great opportunity to measure ourselves. The challenge is significant, just in terms of the match-ups. We’re excited to play and see where we’re at. Of course, whatever the outcome is it’s not going to define us one way or the other, and we have a lot of season to play. We haven’t even gotten into conference play. But this game will help us get better, no matter what, it will help us get better.”

On the difficulties of transitioning from the success of the first two games to the challenges that USC presents“I think it’s a natural progression of sorts, where the guys come out of training camp and are looking for new opponents, somebody else to go beat up against. And that’s allowed us to really progress, especially when you have young players. So there’s a natural progression where inexperienced players, newcomers, maybe guys that you’re counting on in certain roles get a chance to get a little bit more playing time. And I could tell you, that’s been invaluable. It really has. It’s allowed a lot of guys to play, especially when you get into the area of special teams, you get to see guys cover kicks that maybe you haven’t gotten the chance to see. And I think that area, more than anything, is where you can really see a lot of young players emerge, at least for us anyhow. But I think it’s been great, it’s been a good two-game opener for us and it certainly sets the stage for us to go into Southern California and do the best we can based on what we’ve already competed against.”

On whether the game against USC can define the Nebraska football program“Like I said, one game isn’t going to define this season. I’m not going to let it for these players. It’d be great, we’ll treat the win just like we would any other win where we’d celebrate for 24 hours and then we move along to the next opponent. But this is a game that is important to us. We want to do well, we want to measure ourselves against a great football team and a great program, and then take that into the next game and into the conference play, and that’s our goal. Our goal hasn’t changed, our goal is still to win the (Big 12) North Division Championship. We haven’t achieved that goal yet, so we remain focused on that. And I explained that to our team and our players yesterday that they know exactly what the goals are and we just want to do the best we can and do as well as we can when we go out to USC.”

On comparing the offense of USC to the Nebraska offense“I think we’re pretty similar in a lot of respects. I look at our running game and our passing game and there are a lot of similarities conceptually. I think all the personables are essentially the same. I think a lot of it’s derived from what Jon Gruden (Head Coach, Tampa Bay Buccaneers) did at Tampa Bay and what we did in Oakland, at least that’s what I see on film anyhow. But each coach and each coordinator and program puts their own spin on the West Coast offense. They’ve certainly done an excellent job getting the correct match-ups they want to get in and featuring the types of plays they want to for those match-ups. So I think they’ve done an excellent job across the board plugging their players into the system and vice-versa, they’ve done a great job.”==========

HUSKERS STAY LOW-KEY... (thanks Mac!)

Prominent Nebraska football players, one after another, filed toward a makeshift tent set up by an ABC-TV production crew Tuesday in the north end zone at Memorial Stadium.

The TV folks wanted to interview Huskers about the big game coming up.

The University of Nebraska Athletic Department announced that the kickoff for the football game against Troy on September 23 is scheduled for 4 p.m. (Pacific). The game will be offered through FSN's pay-per-view division. We won't know the PPV schedule or channel until next week so I'll update you when we know more details. Be prepared to show up at the watch sites that are willing to show the game and we'll pass the hat to defray their costs (can be as much as $400) for the broadcast.

Lincoln - The Nebraska Athletic Department has announced that its Sept. 23 football game against Troy will kick off at 4 p.m. (Pacific) at Memorial Stadium. The game will be telecast on a pay-per-view basis by Big 12 Special Order Sports, FSN’s pay-per-view division. It will be available on participating cable systems in Nebraska and nationwide to satellite dish customers.

The suggested retail price for the game is $29.95 (for individual home satellite/cable subscribers). Full information on how to purchase the telecast, including a complete list of participating cable systems and satellite providers, will be announced as soon as it becomes available. Please check Huskers.com and FoxSports.com (search: Midwest) for updates in the coming days.

Participating cable and satellite providers will offer the telecast to their customers on a specially designated pay-per-view channel. The telecast will not pre-empt FSN’s regularly scheduled programming.Visit FoxSports.com (Search: Midwest)==========HUSKERS IN THE NFL - WEEK 1...

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media Relations

Josh Brown posted a 42-yard game-winning field goal to give the Seahawks a 9-6 win over Detroit in their season opener.

The opening weekend of the National Football League was highlighted by game-winning performances from several former Huskers, including a former Blackshirt and former Husker specialist.

With New Orleans leading 19-14 over Cleveland with less than two minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, Saints’ defensive back Josh Bullocks intercepted a Charlie Frye pass intended for Braylon Edwards on the New Orleans 30. Bullocks returned the interception 14 yards and stopped a potential game-winning drive to secure the Saints’ season-opening win.

Bullocks added five solo and one assisted tackle in the game to lead a Saint’s defense that held Cleveland to just 186 net yards. Linebacker Scott Shanle also added four tackles and two assisted tackles during the win

Defensive back Ralph Brown recorded one solo and one assisted tackle for Cleveland in the Browns’ losing effort.

Place-kicker Josh Brown posted the other game-winning performance with a 42-yard field goal as time expired in the fourth quarter to give the Seahawks a 9-6 win over the Lions. Brown’s three field goals (20, 51, 42) accounted for all of Seattle’s points.

Detroit center Dominic Raiola recovered a fumble in the hard-fought loss for the Lions.

Atlanta’s Demorrio Williams totaled five tackles in his starting role at linebacker for the Falcons in their 20-6 win over the Carolina, while Panthers free safety Mike Minter racked up six tackles and defensive end Mike Rucker added three stops.

2005 NU graduates Sam Koch and Cory Ross were part of one of two shutouts in the NFL’s opening weekend as the Baltimore Ravens held off Tampa Bay 27-0. Koch shined in his regular-season NFL premier with six punts for an average of 47 yards, with a long of 56.

Tampa Bay’s Barrett Ruud had three solo and five assisted tackles in the Buccaneer’s loss to the Ravens.

Buffalo’s Chris Kelsey provided a spark on the Bill’s defense during a heartbreaking 19-17 loss to New England, snagging four tackles, including two on the Patriots’ first six plays. Kelsey also added one sack and one forced fumble. However, New England’s last-minute efforts proved to be too much for the Bills, as the Patriots closed the fourth quarter with a field goal and a safety. Patriot’s center Russ Hochstein’s blocking efforts allowed quarterback Tom Brady to throw for 163 yards and two touchdowns.

Strong safety Mike Brown led a dominant Chicago Bears defense that shut out Green Bay for the first time in 238 games, compiling three tackles to help hold the Packers to just 267 net yards on offense.

Green Bay’s Ahman Green made up most of the Packers’ offense in the loss with 20 carries for 110 yards, including a long run of 14 yards.

Kyle Larson had five punts for an average of 42.6 yards in Cincinnati’s 23-10 win over Kansas City, putting enough hang-time on the ball to allow the Bengal defense to hold the Falcons’ Dante Hall to an average of just 1.7 yards per return.

Kansas City offensive guard Will Shields helped provide time for backup quarterback Damon Huard to complete 12-of-20 attempts for 140 yards and one touchdown in the Chiefs’ opening loss.

Philadelphia’s Correll Buckhalter had eight carries for 50 yards, including a long run of 20 yards, in the Eagles 24-10 win over Houston.

The Texans’ Kris Brown made a field goal from 34 yards while center Zach Wiegert blocked for a David Carr performance of 18-for-27 for 208 yards and one touchdown in Houston’s home opener.

Tennessee’s Kyle Vanden Bosch recorded six solo and two assisted tackles, as well as one sack, in the Titan’s 23-16 loss to the New York Jets.

Oakland’s Adam Treu and Fabian Washington and San Diego’s Ryon Bingham and Carlos Polk will face off on Monday night. Overall, a total of 31 former Huskers are currently on active NFL rosters.

The Huskers (7-0) took their own tournament title for the second consecutive weekend, as Pavan totaled a match-high 23 kills on. 407 hitting and 11 digs for her first double-double of the year and seventh of her career. Pavan earned tournament MVP honors, as the 6-foot-5 right side hitter averaged 5.90 kills on .409 hitting, 2.30 digs and 0.70 blocks in three victories, including a pair of sweeps over ranked teams.

Larson joined Pavan on the all-tournament team after posting her fifth double-double of the year with 17 kills and 11 digs. Larson totaled 12 of her kills in the final two games, including five kills on nine swings in the finale. Rachel Holloway was the third Husker on the all-tournament team, as the setter totaled a career-best 57 assists, eight digs and seven kills. Holloway helped the Huskers hit .337 as a team, including .405 in game four.

Tracy Stalls was the third Husker to finish in double figures in kills, as the junior tied or set career highs in kills (14) and attempts (30) while leading NU with five blocks.

According to Nebraska Head Coach John Cook, Minnesota’s strong effort was just what the Huskers needed to face after opening the season with six consecutive sweeps.

“This was a good match for us to play,” Cook said. “We got pushed hard, and I was pleased with how our team responded to the challenge. The way Minnesota was playing early, we had to be prepared for a long battle. We kept plugging away and started wearing them down.”

==========BLUE ANGELS PERFORM AT LINCOLN AIRPORT AIRSHOW SEPTEMBER 22 & 23...As an added attraction for the Troy game, the U.S. Navy Blue Angel Flight Demonstration Team will perform during an airshow at the Lincoln Airport the weekend of the Troy game. Their flight performance is scheduled to conclude about an hour before the game starts at 6 p.m. Central Time. Wouldn't be surprised if there is a fly-by at the stadium before or after the airshow.

==========

FUNNY CLIP TO ANGER BUFF FANS OUT THERE...There is a video clip roaming the internet that spoofs the 'death' of the CU football program.

I didn't attach it here (over 1MB) but if you want a copy let me (Carl) know and I'll send it along separately. I will help as well send this file Brian(Webmaster)

You can view the file on the main web page by clicking the CU LINK

(and comments about CU's schedule from John...thanks!)

Dear Mr. Sportsknowitall:Since Chadron State handled Montana State, which handled Colorado, shouldn't the Buffs have to play Chadron State on the day after Thanksgiving instead of playing the Huskers?

No. Because there would be no interest in such a mismatch. Chadron State would be favored by too many points. ;o)

==========TICKET EXCHANGE...Buyers:

Sellers:

This is from Charlotte Perry of the San Diego alumni chapter:

At first I didn't have any tickets and now I have two extra tickets for sale ...My friend in New York bought them for $160.00 in New York but he would sell them for $150.00 each.

They are in Section 14, Row 27, seats 7 and 8..

Let me know if you or any friends are interested. I will be leaving for Los Angeles on Friday morning. Home phone is (858) 454-7798 or I can always be reached on my cell phone at 858-213-7798.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Great game last Saturday! Sure was fun seeing all the Husker fans who dusted off their Big Red duds and turned out at our watch sites to see the first game of the season. Although they got off to a slow start, it looks like the Husker offense started to click and show a lot of potential. This Saturday's test against another Louisiana team that also uses a 'big red N' for a logo, Nicholls State, will provide fans with a better sense of what the Huskers may do this season and one more look before the Huskers head to L.A. for their first big test of the year. Since the Nicholls State game will not be televised (and our friends in the NORCAL Alumni Assoc. in Sacramento no longer fund a radio broadcast), the only ways you will be able to hear the game live will be through the online Huskers.com/HuskersNSide broadcast over the internet: http://www.huskers.com/liveEvents/liveEvents.dbml?KEY=&amp;DB_OEM_ID=100&DB_LANG=&IN_SUBSCRIBER_CONTENT= ,and on Sirius Satellite Radio (Channel 152). Tune in and cheer for the Huskers!Go Big Red (White and Blue),

Carl

===USC Game...Only a little over a week before the big game against USC, so if you are looking for tickets and travel arrangements I highly suggest you finalize your plans soon. HuskerPedia still has a few hotel package deals left that include tickets, but it looks like all of their other local event packages don't have ticket connections anymore. You can also check their TicketPedia site (see Ticket Exchange below) for game tickets and parking passes. We've got 20-30 folks from our area heading down for the game...hope to see you at the pre-game activities and of course at the game!

=========HUSKERS ROLL PAST BULLDOGS, 49-10...(I only included part of the story...see the Big Red Review below for the full story and stats)...

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsNebraska won its 21st consecutive season opener with a 49-10 victory over Louisiana Tech.Lincoln - Fueled by a flurry of career firsts, a balanced offensive attack and a dominating performance by the Blackshirts, Nebraska rolled past Louisiana Tech, 49-10, in Saturday's season-opener in front of a school-record 85,181 fans.

The victory marked Nebraska's 21st consecutive season-opening win, dating back to a 17-13 loss to Florida State in the 1985 season opener. The Huskers' 21 straight victories in season openers is the longest streak in the nation.

Offensively, NU threw for 332 yards and rushed for 252 more in amassing 584 total yards, the most in the Bill Callahan era. Seven different players scored a touchdown, including four Huskers who found the end zone for the first time in their career. Nebraska's balanced attack allowed the Huskers to dominate time of possession, where NU enjoyed an advantage of better than 10 minutes.

Senior quarterback Zac Taylor tied a career high with three touchdown passes, with each touchdown toss coming to a different Husker tight end. Taylor finished the game 22-of-33 for 287 yards.

Sophomore Cody Glenn paced the rushing attack, running for 88 yards on 13 carries. Fellow sophomore Marlon Lucky added 79 yards on 13 carries and scored his first career touchdown. In his Husker debut, Kenny Wilson rushed a game-high 15 times for 47 yards, while junior Brandon Jackson totaled 36 yards on three carries, including a spectacular 25-yard touchdown run.

The receiving corps was busy all afternoon as 10 different players caught at least one pass. Junior Terrence Nunn led the way with a team-high five catches for 54 yards. Playing in his first game since the 2004 season, senior Matt Herian made three grabs for a team-high 61 yards. Herian also became Nebraska's tight end career receiving yardage leader after his final catch.

Saturday's game began with a pregame ceremony that included the display of a large "Power of Red" banner and the performance of "God Bless the USA" by grammy award-winning artist Lee Greenwood before the Huskers took the Tunnel Walk onto the field from North Stadium for the first time since the 1973 season. Highlighting the first tunnel walk on the new HuskerVision big screen was the appearance of legendary broadcaster Keith Jackson, who whipped the crowd into a frenzy by stating there was no place better to be than Memorial Stadium on a college football Saturday.

=========BIG RED REVIEW: NEBRASKA VS. LOUISIANA TECH...

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsMatt Herian returned to the field after more than a year layoff by scoring the Huskers' first touchdown Saturday.Big Red Review is your source for a complete postgame recap of Nebraska's 49-10 victory over Louisiana Tech. In addition to a complete game story from Nebraska's win over the Bulldogs, Huskers.com provides complete game statistics, postgame notes, quotes and photos from the game. Check back after the game as the links below will be continually updated following the game.

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsNU linebacker Clayton Sievers (left) has handled the transition from tight end well, according to head coach Bill Callahan.

The Nebraska football team continued preparation for Saturday’s Nicholls State game with a two-hour practice at Memorial Stadium Wednesday afternoon. The workout focused on short-yardage and goal-line situations.

Nebraska has continued to prepare for Nicholls State’s triple-option offense. The Colonels ran on 47 of its 51 offensive snaps en route to 195 rushing yards in a 35-0 win against Southern Arkansas. Last year, NSU led Division I-AA with 368.4 rushing yards per game. Still, Callahan feels the Huskers will ready to take on the Colonels’ attack.

“Our defensive coaches have done a great job of teaching the assignments and teaching where you need to be in terms of gap discipline and gap responsibilities,” Callahan said. “That’s going to be a solid area for us. I like the progression of how we taught option responsibility.”

Callahan also noted the versatility of Clayton Sievers, who has converted from tight end to linebacker in the early part of the 2006 season.

“He’s a physical, tough guy,” Callahan said. “We love the way he blocks, the way he covers punts and the way he rushes the passer when he takes on the edge when he’s rushing the passer. He can make that transition from defense to offense easily because of his ability to understand what’s going on.”

The Huskers will continue preparations for Nicholls State with a Thursday afternoon practice at Memorial Stadium.

=========CALLAHAN BREAKS DOWN NICHOLLS STATE...

Courtesy: Scott Bruhn/NU Media RelationsHead Coach Bill Callahan spoke about the Nicholls State running game and defense on Thursday.Lincoln – The Nebraska football team held its final full-scale practice of the week Thursday, as it continued to prepare for Saturday’s afternoon matchup against Nicholls State with a two-hour workout in helmets and shorts. Head Coach Bill Callahan described his team as “focused for this particular game.”

Following practice, Callahan was asked to break down the Nicholls State defense, which he described as “multiple.”

“They play everything everyone else does,” Callahan said. “There’s really no variation in terms of how they are playing their scheme. They have done an excellent job. I think it comes down more to fundamentals and techniques for them. They have done an excellent job of executing their system, and they have demonstrated that on many occasions against good football teams.”

With the Bulldogs basing their offense off the triple-option, stopping fullback Broderick Cole will be a key for the Husker defense. Cole led Nicholls State last season with 13 rushing touchdowns and fell only one yard shy of the team lead with 717 yards on the ground.

“He’s a physical guy, explosive and fast. Everything’s quick hitting. He’s in between the guards quite a bit. He can block, he can lead and he can load. He can do it all. He’s a good player, I really like that guy. He’s a key (for them). You have to puncture the fullback, knock him down and force their game on the perimeter. But he’s a load, an outstanding player.”

On the injury front, Callahan announced that senior center Kurt Mann is doubtful to play on Saturday due to a viral infection. Callahan said he does not expect the situation to be serious, and junior Brett Byford will start if Mann is unable to play. Juniors Jordan Picou and Andy Christensen will serve as backups at the position for this weekend.

“I feel confident that (Brett) will do a great job,” Callahan said. “He has a lot of experience, because he’s had a ton of reps (in practice). He’s a smart guy and knows the offense well, so it’s just a matter of going out and executing under pressure. He can do it.”

The Huskers conclude their game week preparations Friday with a short afternoon walkthrough.

=========31 FORMER HUSKERS BEGIN SEASON ON NFL ROSTERS...Former Huskers in the NFL

Former Husker Cory Schlesinger begins his 12th NFL season on Sunday as a member of the Detroit Lions.Lincoln – This week’s start to the National Football League season will feature 31 former Nebraska players appearing on the rosters of 20 different teams, while two former Huskers also are in the league as NFL coaches. The 31 players leads the Big 12 Conference, one more than Texas and two more than Oklahoma.

Nearly 300 former players have represented Nebraska in the NFL. Over the past 10 years, NU leads all Big 12 schools with 52 players chosen in the NFL Draft. No other conference school has had 40 players chosen over the past 10 years.

Headlining this season’s group in his 14th year with the Kansas City Chiefs is 10-time Pro Bowler Will Shields. Shields is the senior member among all former Huskers, while former NU fullback Cory Schlesinger, the 22nd Husker all-time with 10-plus years of NFL experience, enters his 12th season with the Detroit Lions.

The Lions are one of two squads that will feature three former NU standouts this season. Joining Schlesinger in Detroit will be former Rimington Award winner Dominic Raiola, who enters the year as the Lions’ starting center, and free safety Daniel Bullocks, who was a second-round selection during the 2006 NFL Draft.

Bullocks joins his twin brother, Josh, in the NFL this season. Josh Bullocks, the starting free safety for New Orleans, is one of three former Huskers on the Saints’ roster, which includes cornerback DeJuan Groce and linebacker Scott Shanle. Both Groce and Shanle joined the Saints during preseason camp, arriving from St. Louis and Dallas, respectively.

Four members of Nebraska’s 2005 Alamo Bowl champion squad made their way onto NFL rosters this fall. In addition to Daniel Bullocks, former teammates Sam Koch and Cory Ross will play for Baltimore this season, and Le Kevin Smith made New England’s roster. Koch is listed as the Ravens’ No. 1 punter entering the season, while Ross is slated at No. 2 for both punt and kick-off returns. Smith currently is running third string at defensive tackle for the Patriots. Former Husker center Russ Hochstein joins Smith for his fourth season in New England.

Other NFL teams with multiple Huskers this season include the Carolina Panthers with free safety Mike Minter and defensive end Mike Rucker; the Houston Texans with place-kicker Kris Brown and offensive tackle Zach Wiegert; the Oakland Raiders with center Adam Treu and cornerback Fabian Washington; the San Diego Chargers with defensive tackle Ryon Bingham and linebacker Carlos Polk; and the Seattle Seahawks with place-kicker Josh Brown and defensive end Grant Wistrom.

Also included among NFL rosters entering the season are linebacker Demorrio Williams with Atlanta; defensive end Chris Kelsay with Buffalo; strong safety Mike Brown with Chicago; punter Kyle Larson with Cincinnati; cornerback Ralph Brown with Cleveland; running back Ahman Green with Green Bay; running back Correll Buckhalter with Philadephia; defensive end Trevor Johnson with the New York Jets; linebacker Barrett Ruud with Tampa Bay; and defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch with Tennessee.

Forty-one former Huskers appeared on NFL rosters as of Aug. 26, but 10 cuts were made in the final week as teams attempted to trim their rosters to the league-mandated 53-player limit by Sept. 2. Among those for NU standouts cut included: Titus Adams (New York Jets); Mike Erickson (Tennessee); Toniu Fonoti (Tampa Bay); Jay Foreman (New Orleans); Aaron Golliday (Kansas City); T.J. Hollowell (Denver); Jamal Lord (Indianapolis); Jerrell Pippens (San Diego); Benard Thomas (Baltimore); and Eric Warfield (New England). Adams was signed to the Jets' practice squad on Thursday.

In addition to NU’s contingent on active rosters, two individuals with Nebraska ties are coaching in the NFL this season. Former Husker player and defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin begins his 24th year in the NFL with Tampa Bay as the Buccaneers’ defensive coordinator. Kiffin, the longest tenured defensive coordinator in the NFL, is in his 11th season with Tampa Bay. Along with Kiffin, former Husker wide receivers coach Gene Huey enters his 15th year as running backs coach with Indianapolis. Huey’s 224 games of service are the most for a position coach in Colts’ franchise history.

For more on each former Husker's respective NFL career, visit here and click on a player's name.

Here's the excerpt on the third largest city in Nebraska (on a football Saturday), but click on the link for the entire article...4. Memorial Stadium, NebraskaThe inscription above the stadium's main entrance reads, "Through these gates pass the greatest fans in college football," and the words might not be hyperbole. If a big game in Lincoln isn't the main artery of college football, it at least looks like the world's largest blood clot because everyone -- and I mean EVERYONE -- wears red.

If you go: Dine at Misty's Steakhouse, which is kind of like the college football hall of fame, only with steaks and alcohol.

Diane Dodd - Does anyone out there have one or two or three tickets to the USC-NU football game that they would like to sell?925-210-1721

Sellers:

The HuskerPedia Ticket Website is a clearing house for many sports and entertainment venues and their link to the Nebraska-USC game still has a number of tickets and parking passes available if you are willing to pay the going rate. Check the website:http://www.ticketpedia.com/ResultsTicket.aspx?evtid=305160